It might surprise you what I would answer if you asked me for the single most important piece of advice I could give to medical students, residents, and other healers (including those who have finished training!)…
Build up slowly but get to a point where you can run two miles at a time and then do it every day*. This is not an onerous task… even if you are a very slow runner it’s not going to take no more than 30 minutes. Plus there is no prep time (put on your clothes and walk out the door) and you can do it (almost) everywhere.
And then, more importantly – don’t stop. Don’t stop because you on on a hard rotation, or because your partner yelled at you, or because you just don’t feel like it. When you become a resident, fellow, attending… Don’t stop. As you get busier with your practice… Don’t stop. It’s that simple (and that hard)… Don’t stop.
If you are differently abled and can’t run, find an alternative that gets your heart rate up and makes you break a sweat for 20-30 minutes. But otherwise the same advice holds. Don’t stop.
*Every day = the two day rule…if you end up skipping a day it means you have to run the following day
If you need more convincing or help getting started:
Even Short Runs Have Major Health Benefits from the New York Times
How to Start Running: Get Expert Tips, Tools, and Training Plans from Runner’s World